Distraction at home didn't stop state champion

As the ball left his hands, senior William Duen looked over his shoulder with a grin on his face.

Colonial coach Scott Howell smiled back with a tear in his eye.

"When he threw that ball, I knew he sealed it, and he knew he sealed it,'' Howell said of the throw that made Duen the boys state bowling champion. "He turned around with a little look on his face like, 'I finally got here.'"

Duen (pronounced Doo-in) achieved a goal he set as a freshman, one that was made more difficult when his father lost his job midway through the season. Tony Duen wasn't there to see William, the All-Central Florida bowler of the year, throw a 257 and win it all Nov. 8 at Boardwalk Bowl.

Tony was in a competition of his own that day.

After nearly three months of searching, he was in the running for a job as a sous chef at the Grand Bohemian hotel in Orlando. He had to cook and present his favorite dishes to management during the final match of the state tournament.

"I couldn't say no," Tony said.

He had quit his job at Orange Lake Resorts in Kissimmee to accept one closer to home, but he was let go after two weeks in favor of someone who he said was a friend of the owner.

"I wanted more time to practice and work on bowling with William, so we could focus on getting him into a good college," Tony said. "It ended up backfiring."

Staying focused on the sport was the most difficult thing he ever had to do, Duen said. The family made some sacrifices while living on one income, and Duen cut back on trips to the bowling alley.

He found that practicing at school and talking to his coach and teammates kept him from dwelling on the changes.

"It was the only place I could go to keep my mind off it," he said.

Duen also had support from family, especially three older stepsisters.

"One's in Puerto Rico, one's in Alaska and one's in Chicago," he said. "I always ask them for advice on Facebook or over the phone."

Duen was born in Puerto Rico into a family of more than 60 bowlers, including both parents. At 3 months old, he was passed from lane to lane as friends and family held him for the first time.

"When I was in my mom's stomach, she was bowling," Duen said. "It shows me how important it is to my life."

At age 2, he began rolling a 4-pound ball down the lanes with both hands, a technique he uses today. Duen holds the ball with two hands, guides it along his side and swings it behind him like a one-handed bowler would.

"It takes years and years of practice to be a good two-handed bowler," Howell said. "Maybe one out of every 50 to 100 kids can do it. Sometimes people just look at him like he's the oddball, but when it comes to bowling, it's whatever fits your style."

For Duen, his unique style led to success. He hopes to play in college while majoring in biomedical engineering.